Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

New Orleans cracks down on influx of Airbnb-style short-term rentals with new restrictions

New Orleans cracks down on influx of Airbnb-style short-term rentals with new restrictions

New Orleans regulations limit owners to licensing one short-term rental property per block and require that operator live on the property

New Orleans, a city dependent on tourism, adopted new regulations on Airbnb-style short-term rentals on Thursday after an emotional debate between residents and council members.

When the new rules take effect in July, owners of short-term rentals in the city will be limited to licensing one property per block and the operator must live on the property – whether it's the owner or a renter allowed to reside there.

The decision came after a federal appeals court ruling in August obliterated a regulation designed to stop "whole house" vacation rentals by absentee homeowners, The Associated Press reported. The ruling also reignited heated arguments surrounding short-term rentals in the city since they became popular in the mid-2010s.

"The neighborhoods are split on this," New Orleans city council member Freddie King said. "Neighbors are split on this."

A resident speaks out against short-term rentals during a City Council meeting at City Hall in New Orleans, Thursday, March 23, 2023.


Opponents and supporters of increased regulations have been vocal about their contrasting feelings on the effects of the short-term rental market on the city.

Those against the new rules say the Airbnb-style properties broaden the city's tourism market and provide "necessary supplemental" income to homeowners.


Supporters of the regulations say the influx of vacation rentals, typically driven by outside investors and absentee owners, inflate property costs and taxes for residents. They also believe short-term rentals cater to partiers and have changed the atmosphere of the "once quiet and charming areas."

One New Orleans native in favor of the regulations said his neighborhood has been "taken over by wealthy investors."

"It's become a playground for tourists and for those wealthy investors," he said. "We're becoming a smaller, whiter tourist resort. Less like the city I grew up in with every passing year."

The old regulation limited short-term rental licenses to the license-holder's primary residence – a residence for which they claim a Louisiana homestead property tax exemption, according to The AP, which eliminated out-of-state property owners.

Upon review, a panel of three judges at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the aforementioned regulation unconstitutionally restricted interstate commerce.

Dawn Wheelahan, an attorney for short-term rental interests, told The AP on Friday that the challenges in court will continue. Two of her clients are reportedly a woman who has residences in Portland, Oregon, and New Orleans, and a company that manages short-term rentals in various cities.

Wheelahan said the new rules have multiple legal and constitutional problems, adding that the new requirement states only a "natural person" can hold a property license, not a cooperation.

"The prohibition against corporate entities holding permits violates the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision holding that corporate entities have the same First Amendment rights as natural persons," she said in an email to The AP.

Some people already holding licenses said they are worried about their future income as existing holders who want to renew their licenses will have to win a lottery against other applicants on their block.

"You might put me in a lotto and, just like that, I could lose my retirement income," said one woman, adding that renting part of her house to vacation guests is more lucrative than having long-term tenants. "If I have to go back to long-term rental, I will have to sell my house."

Councilmembers Jean Paul "JP" Morrell and Helena N. Moreno listens to public comments on short-term rentals during a City Council meeting at City Hall in New Orleans, Thursday, March 23, 2023.


Council member Eugene Green said the one-per-block limit is a compromise with the people who want vacation rentals completely eliminated.

"I've seen the signs saying, ‘My STR is my retirement,’" Green said. "But for the people that I've spoken to, their homes and their neighborhoods are their retirement."

Council members included an amendment from King that gives property owners the opportunity to apply for an increase in the limit for a given area. In order for the application to be approved, there would be bureaucratic review, public comment from affected neighbors and a vote by the council.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×